Vanguard Explorer Fund Admiral Shares (VEXRX) Sharpe Ratio: 1.75

VEXRX's Sharpe Ratio of 1.75 indicates that for each unit of volatility, it generates 1.75 units of excess return above the risk-free rate. The ratio is calculated using historical daily returns over the past 12 months (as of Jun 23, 2026).

Sharpe uses total volatility (standard deviation) which includes both upside and downside price movements, making it useful for comparing risk-adjusted returns across different assets. For how to read this number and when it can mislead, see Sharpe Ratio Explained.

VEXRX Sharpe Ratio Rank

Average

VEXRX ranks above 41.6% of all investments in our database based on Sharpe Ratio over the past 12 months, showing balanced returns relative to total risk taken. Securities are ranked from 0 (worst) to 100 (best).

What moves the rank

Strong returns with low total volatility → Higher rank
High volatility (both upside and downside) → Lower rank
Consistent returns → Higher rank than volatile returns of same magnitude
Sharp drawdowns increase volatility → Lower rank

What you can do with this information

Returns are proportional to volatility—neither strong nor weak
Evaluate whether the volatility profile aligns with your risk tolerance
Review higher-ranked alternatives in the same category
Monitor rank direction to identify improving or deteriorating trends

VEXRX Sharpe Ratio Market Positioning

The chart shows VEXRX's Sharpe Ratio relative to all mutual funds on our platform, with color zones indicating percentile rankings. Higher ratios indicate better risk-adjusted returns.

Red zone (bottom 25%): 1.33 or lower
Yellow zone (middle 50%): 1.33 to 2.32
Green zone (top 25%): 2.32 or higher
Top 1%: 4.30+
Median: 1.93 — half of all investments score higher

How it compares to other similar mutual funds

The table compares Vanguard Explorer Fund Admiral Shares's Sharpe Ratio with other mutual funds in the Small Cap Growth Equities category across multiple time periods, showing how VEXRX's risk-adjusted performance compares to similar funds.

Data shows 1-, 5-, and 10-year periods, plus each fund's all-time average, as of Jun 23, 2026.

Symbol	Name	1Y Sharpe Ratio
NESIX	Needham Small Cap Growth Fund Institutional	3.96
NESGX	Needham Small Cap Growth Fund	3.92
NEAIX	Needham Aggressive Growth Fund Institutional Class	3.40
NEAGX	Needham Aggressive Growth Fund	3.37
OBMCX	Oberweis Micro Cap Fund	3.13
FGROX	Emerald Growth Fund Institutional Class	2.88
DSCIX	Dana Epiphany ESG Small Cap Equity Fund	2.87
HSPGX	Emerald Growth Fund	2.86
HRSMX	Hood River Small-Cap Growth Fund	2.85
DMCRX	Driehaus Micro Cap Growth Fund	2.72
VEXRX	Vanguard Explorer Fund Admiral Shares	1.75

Benchmark Against

Benchmark

S&P 500 Index

Lookback Period

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Historical Sharpe Ratio

The chart shows VEXRX's rolling Sharpe ratio over time compared to your chosen benchmark. Rising trends indicate improving returns relative to total volatility, while declining trends may signal deteriorating risk-adjusted performance or increased volatility. Use multiple timeframes to distinguish short-term fluctuations from long-term patterns.

Identify market cycles by observing when VEXRX consistently outperforms (line above benchmark), underperforms (below benchmark), or aligns with the benchmark.

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Sharpe Ratio Calculator

How does VEXRX fit in your portfolio?

Add your other holdings to see your portfolio's Sharpe Ratio and find out.

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